Why Now Is a Nice Time to Return to Sea of Thieves

This is why we predict now’s the right time to return again and provides it one other probability.

By Mark Medina

Like most, my preliminary expertise with Sea of Thieves was a bit shallower than I might’ve favored. With all three factions sending you on errands to the identical islands again and again, the content material dried up rapidly. I wished to play extra as a result of I totally loved the gameplay and setting it provided, however I wished extra issues to do. So I sat again and waited. Now, slightly over a yr and an ocean of updates later, I made a decision to dive again in after the model new Anniversary Replace – and right here’s why I believe it is best to, too.

I used to be itching to strive the primary a part of the Tall Tales marketing campaign — a set of tales exploring the pirates who dwell on the Sea of Thieves — known as The Shores of Gold. It’s a sequence of 9 short-form adventures that have you ever crusing the open seas following the path of the Magpie’s Wing, a ship that had disappeared whereas looking for a mysterious island which stated to own unimaginable riches. Whereas the clues didn’t appear to make any kind of sense once I first started, I rapidly grew to become engrossed in fixing every riddle.

Principally, you start with 10 or so unfastened pages with clues resulting in a location the place you’ll begin your journey. As you remedy every clue, increasingly pages are added to your pocket book. The quests not solely have you ever interacting with the world in new methods — comparable to fixing an Uncharted-style puzzle earlier than a room fills with water — however I really discovered myself engaged within the story sufficient that I wished to see them via to the top. As an added bonus, these new quests provided friendlier seas, that means you’re extra more likely to come throughout different gamers who’re making an attempt to unravel the identical riddles as you, versus the times when any sails on the horizon meant it was time to organize for a struggle as a result of there was nothing else to do.

Except for the brand new marketing campaign, quite a few new mechanics have made their means into Sea of Thieves over the previous yr. Not are you simply munching on bananas to replenish your well being; now, you get to prepare dinner the bananas. There are a number of different decisions for nourishment, like animals or fish discovered across the numerous islands.

That’s proper: fish! How was there by no means fishing on this recreation earlier than? We’re on the ocean! Uncommon lastly got here to its senses, and now, to maintain your self busy throughout lengthy ocean voyages, you’re capable of forged out a fishing line and see what you may catch. And whilst you might prepare dinner and eat the fish, that are more likely to replenish extra well being than only a awful banana, Sea of Thieves now encompasses a new faction: The Hunters Name, which trades in fish and animal meat all the best way as much as that of the Kraken or Megalodon. My preliminary ideas have been, “Oh pleasure, one other faction to gather issues for!” However, since you may hunt and fish whereas finishing different duties, it turned out to be a welcome addition that stuffed the empty moments of a voyage with a easy however rewarding activity.

Lastly, for all of the PVP followers on the market, Uncommon has lastly created a mode only for you. Area drops you right into a closed-off portion of the map the place you compete towards three different four-person vessels to see who can sink essentially the most enemy ships and collect essentially the most treasure chests. Like every co-op recreation, Area is greatest skilled on voice chat with buddies who work nicely collectively, although there may be matchmaking should you’re keen to danger it with pick-up teams.

No matter whether or not you sail solo or with a crew, I’m completely satisfied to report that I’m really having loads of enjoyable with all of the brand-new updates and high quality of life enhancements. When you loved Sea of Thieves at one level however ran out of content material to maintain you , (or have been scared off by middling critiques when it initially set sail), now’s undoubtedly a greater time to take action than at launch.

Mark Medina is essentially the most beloved forged member on Unlocked, our weekly Xbox present. Discuss video video games with him on Twitter at @mark_medina.